Environmental

Chemistry
Air & Water

By Sara Alam, IX - E
 Air
Air refers to the invisible mixture of various gases that make up the earth’s
atmosphere. The composition varies but it is usually composed of Nitrogen
(78%), Oxygen (21%), Argon (1%) and Carbon Dioxide (0.04%). Water
vapour and dust particles can also be present in the air and their percentage
is variable.
 Air Pollution
Air Pollution refers to when air contains an excessive amount of chemical
gases, dust, fumes or odour that are damaging to the livings organisms and
the environment they inhibit. Common air pollutants include sulfur dioxide,
carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, acid rain, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and
lead.
 Sulfur Dioxide (SO₂)
This gas comes mainly from electric utilities, especially those that burn coal,
petroleum to produce processed heat and industrial facilities that derive their
products from raw materials such as metallic (e.g. power plants) ore, coal,
and crude oil. Sulfur exists as an impurity in such fuels.
Sulfur dioxide irritates one's eyes, can cause suffocation, asthma attacks, and
respiratory issues. Long terms exposure can lead to respiratory illnesses or
even premature death. It also damages the growth of trees and plants and
contributes to acid rain.
 Sulfur Dioxide (SO₂)
However there are control measures to prevent or reduce the exposure of this
gas. Exhaust gases in power stations and other industries are sprayed with wet
calcium hydroxide or limestone to absorb the sulfur dioxide.
Ca(OH)2 + SO2 ---- > CaSO3 + H2O (calcium hydroxide)
CaCO3 + SO2 ---- > CaSO3 + CO2 (limestone)
Other methods include removal of sulfur after combustion, dry or semi dry
systems and reduction of sulfur dioxide by further processing acid gas streams.
 Carbon Monoxide (CO)
The main sources of CO are cars, trucks and other vehicles or machinery that
burn fossil fuels. Materials such as unvented kerosene and gas space heaters,
leaking chimneys and furnaces, and gas stoves also release CO and can affect air
quality indoors.
Carbon monoxide is a poisonous gas. Breathing air with a high concentration of
CO reduces the amount of oxygen that can be transported in the blood stream to
critical organs like the heart and brain because Haemoglobin in our blood reacts
more readily with CO than O₂ hence CO prevents the blood from carrying O₂ that
the body needs.
 Carbon Monoxide (CO)
Carbon monoxide can be prevented if more air is utilized for combustion
and by using catalytic converters when driving motors so that the harmful
gases are all purified before they are released into the air. Other measures
that can be taken are not using generators and pressure washers. Stoves also
should not be used for heating the house as that will only produce more
carbon monoxide.
 Nitrogen Oxide (NO)
Nitrogen oxide is produced in combustion processes, partly from nitrogen
compounds in the fuel, but mostly by direct combination of atmospheric
oxygen and nitrogen in flames. It is also produced naturally by lightning,
microbial processes in soils and forest fires in which nitrogen and oxygen
react together to form nitrogen oxide at a high temperature. Below is the
equation for this,
N2 + O2 ---- > 2NO
2NO + O2 ---- > 2NO2
 Nitrogen Oxide (NO)
High concentration of nitrogen dioxide in the air can cause damage to the human
respiratory tract and increase the chances of respiratory infections and asthma
attacks. Long-term exposure to this gas can lead to chronic lung disease. Nitrogen
Oxide also forms an ozone by reacting together with other gases which leads to
eye irritation and damages the vegetation.
NO can be reduced by lowering the temperature of burning fuel. In power
stations, water can be sprayed into the burning fuel to lower the temperature. NO
can also be passed over a platinum catalyst in a catalytic converter to be
converted into a harmless nitrogen gas.
 Acid Rain
Acid rain occurs when multiple air pollutants react together and mix with water, oxygen
and other chemicals to form acidic pollutants which is generally known as acid rain. The
primary air pollutants are sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides which are mainly released
by power plants during the burning of fossil fuels such coal. Sulfur dioxide, in the air,
also reacts with oxygen and water to form sulfuric acid. The sulfuric acid dissolves in
rain water to form acid rain.
2SO2 + O2 + 2H2O ---- > 2H2SO4
Nitrogen dioxide also undergoes a similar reaction to form acid rain.
4NO2 + O2 + 2H2O ---- > 4HNO3
 Acid Rain
Acid rain has detrimental effects on trees, freshwaters and soils, destroys insects and aquatic
life-forms, corrosion of steel structures such as bridges, and weathering of stone buildings
and sculptures, endangers marine life, reduces PH of soil which can lead to a barren land
and more plants dying. It causes health issues for humans.
Acid rain can be prevented by filtering and detoxifying the water used by the factories
before returning it to the rivers, reducing the emission of pollutant gases by industry, using
renewable energy sources instead of fossil fuels, and reducing the energy consumption of
factories. Solid calcium hydroxide or slaked lime should be added to the sea and soil to
reduce acidity.
 Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
Sources of CFCs are mainly aerosol applications such propellants,
refrigeration, air-conditioner, insulations, solvents and packing materials.
CFCs increase the rate of skin cancer and cataracts, cause immune system
damage, damage to terrestrial and aquatic plant life, increase formation of
ground-level ozone (smog) and destroy the ozone layer.
This can be prevented by buying air-conditioning and refrigeration
equipment that do not use HCFCs and buy aerosol products that do not use
HCFCs or CFCs as propellants.
 Lead
Lead is released from natural sources such as windblown dusts and forest
fires. They are added into car fuel to make car engines function properly.
Lead can lead to gastrointestinal symptoms and severely damage the brain
and kidneys.
This can be prevented by using lead free petrol.
 Preventing Air Pollution
Air Pollution can be further prevented by flue gas desulfurisation in which the waste gases
formed, when fossil fuels undergo combustion are called flue gases. The process of removing
sulfur dioxide from the gases is called desulfurisation. When sulfur dioxide passes through the
plant, it reacts with an aqueous suspension of calcium carbonate to form solid calcium sulfite.
CaCO3 (s) + SO2 (g) ---- > CaSO3 (s) + CO2 (g)
The calcium sulfite is further oxidised to calcium sulfate by atmospheric oxygen.
2CaSO3 (s) + O2 (g) ---- > 2CaSO4
Besides calcium carbonate, calcium oxide can also be used for desulfurisation.
CaO (s) + SO2 (g) ---- > CaSO3 (s)
 Water
Water is a substance composed of the chemical elements hydrogen and
oxygen and can exist in gaseous, liquid, and solid states. It is one of the most
plentiful and essential of compounds. Liquid water covers about 70% of the
earth’s surface.
 Test For Water
When water is present in a sample of anhydrous copper(II) sulfate, it turns blue.
It is still a dry solid, because the individual water molecules are trapped within
the ionic lattice surrounding the copper(II) ions. Solutions of copper(II) sulfate
are also blue. This colour change can be used to detect the presence of water (or
water vapour).
CuSO4 + 5H2O ---- > CuSO4.5H2O
Anhydrous Hydrated
White Blue
 Water Pollution
Water pollution is the release of substances into bodies of water that makes
water unsafe for human use and disrupts aquatic ecosystems. Water pollution
can be caused by a plethora of different contaminants, including toxic waste,
petroleum, and disease-causing microorganisms. Primary contributors
include pollutants such sewage, acids, oil, nitrates and phosphates.
 Sewage
The common causes of sewage are the liquid and sewer impurities that come
from homes, hospitals, factory units, and any other institution that require
water in their facilities.
Sewage contains bacteria, fungi, parasites, and viruses that can cause
intestinal, lung, and other infections. Bacteria may cause diarrhea, fever,
cramps, and sometimes vomiting, headache, weakness, or loss of appetite.
 Acids
The main source of acids is acid rain which decreases the PH level of water.
Dead or dying trees are commonly caused by acids. It also removes minerals
and nutrients from the soil that trees need to grow resulting in low
vegetation. Marine life can not survive because of the polluted water and its
low PH level.
 Oil
Oil is often released into water bodies through oil spills from ships.
Oil spills contaminate soil and water and may cause devastating explosions
and fires. They cause the oxygen flow to be blocked underwater which can
kill marine life. Oil is toxic.
 Nitrate and Phosphates
Main sources of nitrate and phosphate are fertilizer, sewage and runoff from
animal farms. Phosphate also comes from the erosion of phosphate-bearing soil
and sediment during human land-altering activities such as construction and
mining.
These substances cause eutrophication which is when the environment becomes
enriched with nutrients. This can be a problem in marine habitats such as lakes as
it can cause algal blooms that may produce bad-smelling scum, foam, or froth.
Fertilisers are often used in farming, sometimes these fertilisers run-off into
nearby water causing an increase in nutrient levels.
 Purification Of Water
1. Coagulation: Aluminium sulfate is added to cause the solid particles to
clump together into bigger sizes before filtration.
2. Sedimentation: Large solid lumps will sink to the bottom of the water and
can be removed easily.
3. Filtration: The water is then filtered to remove all solid particles.
4. Adding activated carbon: To remove bad odour from water.
5. Chlorination: Chlorine is added to eliminate germs and bacteria.
 Desalination
Desalination refers to the removal of dissolved salts from seawater and in
some cases from the brackish waters of inland seas, highly mineralized
groundwaters and municipal wastewaters. This process renders such
otherwise unusable waters fit for human consumption, irrigation, industrial
applications, and various other purposes.
 Reverse Osmosis
In reverse osmosis salt water is forced against the membranes under high
pressure; fresh water passes through while the concentrated mineral salts
remain behind. To conserve space, the membranes are packaged in multiple
layers in a collection of long tubes.
 Distillation
Distillation is the process involving the conversion of a liquid into vapour
that is subsequently condensed back to liquid form.
 Thank you!
References: Chemistry for O Levels by Derek McMonagle, Chemistry Matters by Chen Ling
Kwong, Complete Chemistry by Rosemarie Gallagher, IGCSE Chemistry by Doug Wilford,
Britannica, O Level Academy